Jaguars Ripped My Flesh

by Tim Cahill

The author of A Wolverine Is Eating My Leg and Pecked to Death by Ducks gives new meaning to the words "going to extremes" in this exhilarating--and frequently hilarious--collection of adventure travel writing. "Cahill . . . (writes) with the precision ofJohn McPhee and Joan Didion tempered by a Monty Pythonesque sense of the absurd."--San Diego Union-Tribune.

Genres: Travel, Nonfiction, Humor, Adventure, Essays, Memoir, Nature

306 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1987

About the author

Tim Cahill (born 1944 in Nashville, Tennessee) is a travel writer who lives in Livingston, Montana, United States. He is a founding editor of Outside magazine and currently serves as an "Editor at Large" for the magazine.

Reviews

[Jennifer Barbee · Rating 4 out of 5]

After reading the dreadful crumudgeon Bill Bryson and his unfunny, uninteresting musings on the state of modern travel, Tim Cahill couldn't have been a bigger breath of fresh air. Cahill is the real deal. His sense of humor in the face of danger, his true willingness to engage in potentially lethal activities, and his tremendous sensitivity and insight into other cultures make this collection (and all of his collections) a must read for anyone feeling the old wanderlust. If you can't travel to the farthest corners of the world tomorrow, your next best bet is to let Cahill do it for you.

[Jeanette (Ms. Feisty) · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolutely outstanding book. This is a collection of pieces the author wrote for Outside and some other magazines during the late 70s and early 80s. The book far exceeds the quality of Pecked to Death by Ducks, which is the only other of his collections I have read.

The first half of the book covers experiences he had in south America, Australia, the Philippines, and Mexico. I especially liked this section because these were truly adventurous excursions to remote places most of us have never heard about. He writes intelligently and with compassion for the local people whose traditions and myths are dying out due to modernization and tourism.

The second half of the book is closer to home, involving adventures right here in the U.S. Cahill is in top form for nature writing in "Kayaking Among the Ice Children." The word pictures are so beautiful, I could really see what he was describing. I learned that orca whales will work together to lift and tip icebergs so the sunning harbor seals will fall off into the waiting mouths of other orcas!

There are two pieces about the eruption of Mount St. Helens in 1980. They are excellent coverage not only of the events, but also of the way volcanoes work and the damage they do. The second one, "Eruption," reads like a scary movie, but it really happened! I cried at the end. :(

Having done some nonfiction writing myself, I'm impressed by the quality and depth of information Cahill provides in these articles. He doesn't just tell about his experience. He includes a lot of science and history (never boring) which shows he has done much thoughtful research about the topics and places both before and after visiting them. I hadn't expected to learn so much from this book, so that was a nice bonus.

[Rex Fuller · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was slow to this, a collection of Tim Cahill’s first articles, believing his early effort not as polished as the later. Needn’t have quibbled. If you like Cahill, you will enjoy this one as much as any. With his familiar understated irony he describes catching venomous sea snakes in the Philippines, “swimming” with sharks near Catalina, and playing chicken in a kayak with calving ice in Glacier Bay. The best is at the end. In two pieces, the first written from an observation point near Mt. St. Helens before the eruption, in which he largely predicted what did happen, and the second a follow-up after the explosion, he gives the best description of the event that I have seen. He does not say so, but it is fairly apparent he would have died in the blast if he had stayed until the actual eruption. But when you think about it, any number of the things he writes about would have been deadly by a difference of inches or moments of time. But that’s just it. You do have to think about it in order to realize it. He just gives you a smile and something for your own list of places to see.

[Nathan Eaton · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great collection of articles. Tim Cahill did a great job of blending laughs and making you really stop to think. I really enjoyed his sections about Latin America, which for some reason I haven't read a lot of travel pieces about. Goodreads nailed it on the suggestions again. I will be looking for more Cahill in the future.

Cahill reads like a less grumpy and slightly less humorous Bill Bryson. One of his biggest strengths though, lies in his ability to convey deeper emotion. I'm already a huge fan of turtles, and am aware of the terrible treatment they receive and a lot of the conservation efforts. His piece on the Olive Ridleys in Mexico is both heartfelt and heart wrenching. You also get a good look at his human side when detailing the events surrounding the Mt. St. Helens eruption.

[Rebecca · Rating 1 out of 5]

I didn't even finish this book. I have been seeing it on the shelf for years and while I liked another book by the same author, for some reason, this one just didn't appeal to me. But I'll always try something from the library, nothing lost there but time. I spent a week trying to get into it and finally yesterday morning, I gave up.

Just random travel adventures, which normally I like, but I think they have to take place in a part of the world that I have an interest in going and these where taking place no where I cared about. And they seemed really old and dated as well. I got through about half the book and gave up.

Grade: N/A

[Wendy Jackson · Rating 3 out of 5]

The title of this book is a p!ss-take on those swashbuckling adventure story magazines from times past - magazines that Cahill jokingly suggests had names like "Man's Testicle" and featured stories like "My God, We're Being Attacked by Tiger Sharks!" Cahill's stated intent with this collection of essays was to provide readers with something less hyperbolic; however, his appetite for exploration and complete disregard for risk lands him in situations that perfectly suit publication in a magazine called "Man's Testicle". Don't take this as a pejorative observation: Cahill's recounting of these situations is invariably compelling and compassionate. Particularly memorable in this collection were his essays/articles on looking for pre-Incan ruins in Perú (Kuélap - super-interesting, worth looking up), and - for more depressing reasons - his essay about turtle poaching in Escobilla, Mexico.
More 3.5 stars than 3, but not quite a 4.

[Jim · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice collection of essays, somewhat dated but nonetheless interesting. A few I skipped over because of lack of interest in the story, but many were very good, from his parachuting to adventure expeditions. I like his sense of humor. I like living vicariously through the experiences of the good travel writers. I had to track this one down via inter-library loan, but it was well worth it.

[Olya]

It meandered from one random thought to another until it lost me.

[Kieran Desmond · Rating 2 out of 5]

Took a painfully long time to read. Boring. His writing style is tedious. He's so arrogant. This book is so American white man in an era of exploration that is frankly outdated and borderline problematic when read with a modern lense. Wish I'd given up long ago.

[Gaía Passarelli · Rating 4 out of 5]

delicious compilation of one of the best adventure writers there is.

[Paxton M · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book provided an interesting commentary on the effects of both climate change, and human development/industrialization, on the natural world. Tim Cahill's writing was well-researched, cohesive, and above all, humorously self-deprecating. His stories of jumping out of aircraft, rock climbing in Yellowstone, and of his time with aboriginal peoples in Northern Australia were heartfelt, interesting, and exciting. For the most part, I enjoyed this book, though there were some parts that I didn't quite understand (though that may be because I was reading this late at night, and my eyes and brain were exhausted). I would recommend 'Jaguars Ripped My Flesh' for teens/young adults, as some of the concepts may be harder to grasp for less advanced or more distracted readers. It was also a relatively short book, and the pace was, though not too fast and confusing, still quick, which prevented it from getting boring. This book has definitely convinced me to read the others by Cahill, including 'A Wolverine Is Eating My Leg', 'Road Fever', and 'Pecked To Death By Ducks'. All in all, 7.5 or 8 out of 10. Good book.

[Lynne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have not been fond of travel books previously, but I think I'm going to read all of Tim Cahill's. His prose can carry you from a sense of yearning for the land he is describing, to the hilarious effects drinking various kinds of booze can have on the individual unaccustomed to them. He almost gets shot, sort of, in South America somewhere; he hates Hooty the Owl comprehensively and entertainingly, he jumps out of airplanes and dives into caves - and he is very skilled at taking you with him on the trip. You can almost smell the abattoir of dead turtles, almost feel like you're drowning while diving in an underwater cave. Contrarily, you feel the heat of the jungle, the pressure of the wind, see the remote reaches of the mountains - and breathe deeply of fresh clean air. It's a fun trip, wherever you're going with him. I enjoyed his travels very much. Also, North Dakota jokes!

[Keith Skinner · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wanted to read some early Cahill after taking a workshop with Tim. This book didn't disappoint. I'm sure some will find the bombastic title off-putting but that's the point, to challenge adventure travel writing that is insincere, inaccurate, and disingenuous. Tim has an understated humor that is hilarious, and he delivers a wealth of information about places, cultures, and environmental populations while being entertaining. A must read for anyone who ventures beyond their front door and even for those who don't.

[Jasmine · Rating 3 out of 5]

A life of tame adventure

I'm an adventurer myself, and I was excited to read a memoir of someone who had written for Outside magazine. Unfortunately, the stories were not very exciting, certainly nothing like a jaguar attack. Mostly some tame adventures like rock climbing, scuba diving, etc. While this would be incredibly exciting to the average couch potato, I suppose I was looking for a story. Something dramatic or thought provoking, though the turtle story was sad and eye opening. Thank God I don't eat seafood!

[Julian Walker · Rating 4 out of 5]

A superb collection of writings covering exposing turtle poaching, hanging out with a wild gorilla xxx, rock climbing, shark diving, hang gliding, parachuting, erupting volcanoes - phew.

The list of this man’s activities goes on and on, and each one is entertaining and engrossing, veering from drama to outrage, gentle humor to the outrageous. 

Travel and adventure truly rolled into one.

Cracking stuff and a great read. 

[Phyll · Rating 1 out of 5]

This collection of essays from an adventure writer is more of a hodgepodge than a collection. There is no thread running through the book that ties them together. The writer appears to be a smart-ass and writes in that style. He undertakes these adventures for the sole purpose of earning a living by writing about them. The book does not live up to the acclaim given to Cahill on the inside cover.

[Will Silverstein-Belden · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a lot of fun to read! It detailed the adventures of an explorer in the times before the internet and social media. His adventures are incredible, his stories are absolutely hilarious, and the places covered sound breathtaking. Mostly, reading this book made me want to go adventuring down into the jungles of South America in search of old ruins!

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

More of the same excellent magazine articles from Cahill. Pretty indistinguishable from Pass The Butterworms and others, but in a good way. Consistently good and similar in feel to a Bill Bryson article if he did adventure sports

[Mylie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great adventure/travel writing, the series of articles in the book really draw you to some incredible parts of the planet and make you want to renew your passport and buy a plane ticket. Really enjoyed it.

[B_rodger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Still a classic. The two Mount St. Helens pieces are especially powerful, and the tale of Stupid Cave Tricks is also a fave. This writer is the origin story of today’s adventure writing. Read it and weep.

[Ken Jurish · Rating 4 out of 5]

Funny, mostly, stories of his time in the great outdoors.

[Candice Waite · Rating 5 out of 5]

Funny! The phrasing and word choices are a delight.

[Carrie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some interesting stories (each chapter stood alone), but I found myself wanting him to skip some of the detailed descriptions and get to the action.

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

This collection of Cahill's "adventure" essays sat on my bookshelves for more than 30 years. The book held together well physically and was a thoroughly entertaining read.

[Dan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty good, but definitely dated.

[Dan Geiger · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great reminder that you learn about things from book and life from travel.

[Karen Watson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Made me laugh hard and loud in the middle of train strikes in Italy on a solo trip. Felt great.

[Joe · Rating 5 out of 5]

witty, entertaining, informative. excellent read. the Mt St. Helens pieces were amazing and somewhat heartbreaking. well worth the time.

[Bridget Walsh · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars - entertaining essays on adventurous lifestyles

[Suzanne Fournier · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not my favourite collection of Cahill's work though the pieces about the St. Helena eruption were interesting. I advise not eating while reading the piece about sea turtles.